Methods for extracting solute from a source material

Abstract

Systems and methods for extracting solute from a source material in multiple canister systems are shown and described.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for extracting solute from plant material, the method comprising:
 moving solvent from a solvent source container to at least a first canister and a second canister, the first and second canisters containing the plant material, the moving step comprising at least one of pressurizing and heating the solvent at a location that is downstream of at least the solvent source container and upstream of at least the first and second canisters; 
 after at least one of Pressurizing and heating the solvent, introducing a first portion of the solvent into the first canister; 
 exposing the plant material in the first canister to the first portion of the solvent to create a first extract mixture having the solute in solution with the first portion of the solvent; 
 fluidly communicating the first extract mixture to a first extract container; 
 after at least one of pressurizing and heating the solvent, introducing a second portion of the solvent into the second canister; 
 exposing the plant material in the second canister to the second portion of the solvent to create a second extract mixture having the solute in solution with the second portion of the solvent; and 
 fluidly communicating the second extract mixture to the first extract container, the first extract container in fluid communication with at least the first and second canisters. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  with the moving step comprising heating the solvent. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  with the moving step comprising pressurizing the solvent. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , with the solvent including an extracting portion and a charging portion, the extracting portion corresponding to the first portion of the solvent moved to the first canister and the charging portion corresponding to a solvent portion contained in a solvent compressor at the location that is downstream of at least the solvent source container and upstream of at least the first and second canisters; and
 the moving solvent from the solvent source container to at least the first canister and the second canister step comprises pressurizing, by the solvent compressor, the charging portion of the solvent as the plant material in the first canister is exposed to the extracting portion of the solvent and moving the charging portion from the solvent compressor to the second canister. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprising separating the solute from the first and second extract mixtures to provide a recycled solvent by at least heating the first extract container to evaporate at least the recycled solvent; and collecting the recycled solvent in a solvent collection container in fluid communication with at least the first extract container. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5 , wherein heating the first extract container step comprises heating the first extract container to a solvent extraction temperature, the solvent extraction temperature being greater than a boiling point temperature of the solvent and less than a boiling point temperature of the solute. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 5 , further comprising moving at least a portion of the recycled solvent from the solvent collection container to at least the first canister and the second canister. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , with moving at least the portion of the recycled solvent comprising moving at least the portion of the recycled solvent from the solvent collection container to the solvent source container; and moving the portion of the recycled solvent from the solvent source container to at least the first canister and the second canister. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 5 , with the solvent collection container including a first solvent collection container and a second solvent collection container, the first solvent collection container being in fluid communication with at least the first extract container and the second solvent collection container being in fluid communication with at least the first solvent collection container and the first and second canisters; and the method further comprising collecting the recycled solvent in the second solvent collection container from the first solvent collection container, and moving at least a portion of the recycled solvent from the second solvent collection container to the first and second canisters. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 5  with the solvent collection container and the solvent source container being a single solvent container. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1  with the solvent comprising butane. 
     
     
       12. A method for extracting solute from plant material, the method comprising:
 moving at least a first portion and a second portion of solvent from a solvent source container to at least a first canister and a second canister, the first and second canisters containing the plant material; 
 exposing the plant material in the first canister to the first portion of the solvent to create a first extract mixture having the solute in solution with the first portion of the solvent; 
 fluidly communicating the first extract mixture to a first extract container; 
 exposing the plant material in the second canister to the second portion of the solvent to create a second extract mixture having the solute in solution with the second portion of the solvent; 
 fluidly communicating the second extract mixture to the first extract container, the first extract container in fluid communication with at least the first and second canisters; 
 separating the solute from the first and second extract mixtures to provide a recycled solvent by at least heating the first extract container to evaporate at least the recycled solvent; and 
 collecting the recycled solvent in a solvent collection container in fluid communication with at least the first extract container. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12 , wherein heating the first extract container step comprises heating the first extract container to a solvent extraction temperature, the solvent extraction temperature being greater than a boiling point temperature of the solvent and less than a boiling point temperature of the solute. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 12 , further comprising moving at least a portion of the recycled solvent from the solvent collection container to at least the first canister and the second canister. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , with moving at least the portion of the recycled solvent comprising moving at least the portion of the recycled solvent from the solvent collection container to the solvent source container; and moving the portion of the recycled solvent from the solvent source container to at least the first canister and the second canister. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 12 , with the solvent collection container including a first solvent collection container and a second solvent collection container, the first solvent collection container being in fluid communication with at least the first extract container and the second solvent collection container being in fluid communication with at least the first solvent collection container and the first and second canisters; and the method further comprising collecting the recycled solvent in the second solvent collection container from the first solvent collection container, and moving at least a portion of the recycled solvent from the second solvent collection container to the first and second canisters. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 12 , with the solvent collection container and the solvent source container being a single solvent container. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 12 , with the solvent comprising butane.